Madeleine McCann may be alive, UK police say as new picture released

British detectives reviewing the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have urged their Portuguese colleagues to reopen the case after saying the evidence leads them to believe she may be alive.

Madeleine McCann aged three when she disappeared in 2007 (left) and the age progression image as she would look today (Picture: PA)

An investigation team from the Metropolitan Police said it had discovered 195 possible leads to finding Madeleine, who disappeared shortly before her fourth birthday while on holiday with her parents Kate and Gerry, from Rothley, Leicestershire, in southern Portugal in 2007.

The team has today issued an age progression image of Madeleine as she would look today ahead of her ninth birthday on May 12.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who said his team had reviewed 40,000 pieces of information or 100,000 pages, said he believed Madeleine’s disappearance was a case of stranger abduction.

Speaking ahead of a BBC1 Panorama programme on Madeleine’s disappearance, DCI Redwood said: ‘From the outset we have approached this review with a completely open mind, placing Madeleine McCann at the heart of everything we do. We are working on the basis of two possibilities here. One is that Madeleine is still alive; and the second that she is sadly dead.’

Madeleine McCann has not been seen since May 2007 (Picture: AP)

DCI Redwood continued: ‘Based on the former we are releasing the age progression image today with a specific appeal.

‘If you know where Madeleine McCann is now or you have new direct information/evidence about what has happened to her then please contact us.’

Detectives are now calling on Portuguese police, who still have primacy for the investigation, to reopen the case, which has been closed since 2008.

Police are appealing for anyone staying in the vicinity of Praia da Luz in the Algarve between April 28 and May 3 2007 to contact them on 0800 0961011 in the UK. The number for non-UK residents is +44 2071580 126, while people can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.